Noida authority unveils plan to turn four city roads into dust-free zones

The four roads identified under the first phase of the dust-free plan are a 4km stretch of Dadri-Surajpur-Chhalera (DSC) Road, 3km stretch of Master Plan-I, 2.5km stretch of a road that passes through Sector 42 and 43, and a 3.5km stretch of Master Plan-III road. The aim is for Noida to be a dust-free city

Dadri-Surajpur-Chhalera Road is one of the four stretches to be turned into dust-free zones. (Sunil Ghoh/HT PHOTO)

The Noida authority has identified four roads which will be developed as dust-free zones in the first phase of a detailed plan to make Noida a dust-free city.

In the second phase, other roads and areas will be identified and developed as dust-free zones.

Noida Authority chairman Alok Sinha had, on April 29, directed the authority staff to improve basic civic amenities quickly. He also directed staff to identify four roads, within 15 days, to be made dust-free.

The detailed brief of the chairman was to make Noida a dust-free city on the lines of European cities.

The roads identified under the first phase of the dust-free plan are a 4km stretch of Dadri-Surajpur-Chhalera (DSC) Road, a 3 km stretch of Master Plan-I, 2.5km stretch of a road that passes through Sector 42 and 43, and a 3.5km stretch of Master Plan-III road.

“We have made estimates for this project. Once the estimate is approved, we will float tenders for the job,” said Omvir Singh, director of horticulture department of the Noida authority.

Following Sinha’s instructions, the authority has decided to develop all available spaces to be ‘green’.

“We will plant grass and trees on the divider and vacant space along the roads. The aim is to develop available vacant area as green. We want that dust should not fly along roadsides or in the middle of the road. If all vacant areas are turned green, there will be no dust,” said another official of the Noida authority.

The work is scheduled to be completed within 15 days after the tender is awarded to an agency.

The chairman’s directions came following residents’ complaints of dust covered roads in the city.

According to the chairman’s directions, the authority is supposed to take immediate steps to check dust pollution also because the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in November 2016 had ordered the authority and the district magistrate to contain dust pollution.

The metro, elevated roads and underpass work on many roads including Master Plan-II Road, Road No.6 and Master Plan-III Road is causing dust pollution in the areas around them.

“All areas will be made dust-free zones slowly as and when the construction work gets over,” said an official of the Noida authority.